Tuesday, April 20, 2010

GREENS AND GREENS AGAIN

I wasn't content with my two prior efforts, so gave this another try.

I began by working up some greens from my colors so I could see which ones I wanted to try. I would have liked to go even darker (needed to add more Prussian Blue) to the bottle but I'm not too unhappy with this one. Even did the background. My apple looks a bit mushed on the bottom but not too bad. Limes are hard - a dark color but some dimpling, too...I may have to pick one up at the grocery to have a real subject.

This one's closer to what I wanted so I think I'll move on to the next painting - a little white container, a lime (again, that dreaded lime!), and a pencil against a dark background...

Again, start with a contour drawing from the inside out - not just a silhouette. And what I got from watching him paint this is:

Draw your shadow shapes, connect your objects by overlapping or with shadows. The light is coming from the upper right so this side will have harder edges; the shadow side is the left side so this will have softer, blended edges.

He used only 3 colors (although he wasn't happy with the color of the lime when he finished) to teach more about edges and shapes than getting too into colors right now. He really hated that lime, though, when he was done :)

And what a mess the background looked as he worked it! Running, blossoms, yucky stuff going on...until it was finished and then looked fine. And he did wipe his brush onto his apron (or his sweatshirt), and he dabbed a run that wouldn't stop flowing down from the background to the lime several times (although he tells us NOT to do that EVER).

More to come as I try this one next - think I can get it in three tries?

Again, I'm just on the second DVD and am slowly working my way through the three DVDs in the set - and I do recommend them if you want to loosen up, see things a bit differently, etc. But you won't paint like Charles Reid at the end - who would want to? You want to paint like you, no matter who you study!

I sent you an email about this with a photo of one of MY Charles Reid attempts some years ago. I really think there is validity in working in his style...he has some really nice techniques and I enjoy his work a lot. You are doing some nice things too!!!

Thanks, Claudia (love your latest two paintings!).Thanks, Deb - yeah, we can't be someone else or paint like someone else - we can learn from a lot of artists but we'll still paint like ourselves (only with more knowledge, I hope).Vicki, that was his drawing and he said it's important to know where the light source and shadow is before you start painting - so just a reminder of that.Ginny, love your painting in the CR style! You nailed it - although I didn't see any splatters?!?

I began my journey with watercolor painting in April 2003, taking weekly lessons for six years before I realized I needed to move on to explore on my own.

I admire the work of so many artists; my sidebar is full of artists who inspire me every day. I also love the freedom of Shirley Trevena, the delicate touch of Ted Nuttall and Hazel Soan, and the power of Mary Whyte. I enjoy visiting art blogs, reading art magazines and watching art DVDs to further my art education and to simply enjoy the beauty that is being created around the world in watermedia these days.

"If you have a burning desire to create art, you will lean into the flame of that desire, rather than shy away from it. You may get burned, or you may enjoy the glowing warmth of success. Whatever the outcome, you will not be able to withstand the pull to create something meaningful, beautiful, and lasting."